Sexy Fish review: An intensely glamorous tribute to pan-Asian dining
Richard Caring’s curiously named fish restaurant opened last year to much fuss and fanfare, a knowingly ostentatious, very shiny and intensely glamorous tribute to pan-Asian dining that feels out of place in London, even at its Berkeley Square address by the Bentley showroom.
But while Sexy Fish still feels like it belongs on the 60th floor of a hotel in central Macau, it’s mellowed somewhat since Morning Wire’s food critic likened it to “taking ketamine in an oligarch’s man-cave”. There’s a new £36 per person “kuikku” lunch menu, and lunch is the least sexy time of day there is.
WHERE? On a corner of Berkeley Square in Mayfair, which is easily one of the top ten places in the world you’re most likely to be run over by a luxury car weighing as much as a house.
WHO? Frank Gehry and Damien Hirst are responsible for the mess all over the walls: a massive shimmering glass crocodile from the former, and several brass mermaids cavorting with sharks from the latter. The incongruous art pieces hang around like they belong to the previous landlord and were too large to remove through the front door, but they’re strangely endearing works.
ORDER THIS… Go for the delicate prawn gyoza with ginger and spring onion. Then the sticky monkfish skewer in a light coriander sauce accompanied by soft and sweet mussels. Continue bouncing around the starters with the seared yellowtail tartar and whipped tofu on parsnip crisps, which has just a touch of jalapeno kick, and then follow up with the seriously tasty beef tataki. The salmon fillet with yuzu hollandaise is one of the less ambitious dishes on the menu, while the vegetable tempura is a surprising treat, set off by fresh truffle and a pour-over bowl of miso that makes a delicious soupy mess.
BUSINESS OR PLEASURE? If the looming spectacle of an oversized crocodile made of shards of mirror doesn’t impress your business associate, then the wall-spanning bronze relief of a life-size fish-lady hanging out with Jaws definitely will. When the decor is this odd there’s no type of meeting that’s not appropriate.
NEED TO BOOK? Absolutely. The restaurant is bustling at lunchtimes and evenings. Head to sexyfish.com to make a reservation.
THE VERDICT… The blaring opulence of Sexy Fish screams for your attention, but the clamouring is backed up by the seriously good, understated and straightforward dishes on offer.